Paws and Purpose

In the late 1980s, Tim Duffy, a penniless North Carolina musicology student, became deeply involved in Winston-Salem's drinkhouse music scene, an off-the-grid hotbed of gritty traditional blues. He began the foundation after observing and living with the deep poverty of the Southern blues artists he befriended and championed.The foundation now helps hundreds of older Southern musicians with everything from financial assistance to tour support. The film travels back to the early artists that were the inspiration for Music Maker, and forward to the current artists carrying on the Southern roots tradition. The film features performances, archival and contemporary, of Music Maker artists on tour and in the studio, as well as interviews with the artists and Duffy on the foundation, music and the blues.

1 in 52 players from Kinston High make it to the NBA, the most per capita in the world. Where basketball provides a way out for many with otherwise limited opportunities, something is definitely in the water in Kinston, NC.

'“Tierbrücke”' tells with a lot of heart about the construction of the animal shelter in Ukraine, with all the adversities that go with it: lack of materials, language barriers, evacuations of animals at the front, and the danger for the construction workers of being drafted into the army. “'Tierbrücke”' tells of the animal souls left behind that nobody hears, even though they call for help every day and at all times. It tells of people who stay in a country at war to be there for animals. With all the hurdles that have become their normality. And it tells of dreamers from Germany who are confronted with the bitter reality of a privileged situation. People with two left hands who admittedly have more heart and soul than manual skills.

The power of fostering animals in need is undeniable. Hopalong Animal Rescue, based in Oakland, CA, demonstrates this every day. This short film chronicles Tina Quon and Gary Moore, a couple who have dedicated their life together to fostering dogs in need of forever homes. Their pit bull, Nulo, plays a pivotal role, teaching young puppies how to grow into well-behaved, loving adult dogs. Together, they have fostered over 60 dogs – and counting. This documentary shows the ways in which Tina, Gary, and Nulo – along with Hopalong's larger network of over 600 foster homes throughout the Bay Area – have touched so many lives in profound and deeply moving ways.

Called a maverick, a miracle-worker, and a quack, Dr. Marty Goldstein is a pioneer of integrative veterinary medicine. By holistically treating animals after other vets have given up, Goldstein provides a last hope for pet owners with nothing left to lose.

Il parle avec les loups

The little-known story of a deadly race massacre and carefully orchestrated insurrection in North Carolina’s largest city in 1898 — the only coup d’état in the history of the US. Stoking fears of 'Negro Rule', self-described white supremacists used intimidation and violence to destroy Black political and economic power and overthrow Wilmington’s democratically-elected, multi-racial government. Black residents were murdered and thousands were banished. The story of what happened in Wilmington was suppressed for decades until descendants and scholars began to investigate. Today, many of those descendants — Black and white — seek the truth about this intentionally buried history.

Botanical gardens in Bombay plus the highly decorative Jain Temple in Calcutta.

A short documentary where director Dave Jackson digs into his catboy past and life after Cat Sick Blues.

In twelve short episodes, which are interwoven into the course of a day, the film depicts situations that arise from keeping and caring for two cats for a family with six children in a suburban home. In addition to aspects of animal care, the film also addresses social problems and conflicts that arise from dealing with the animals in this family.

Cat experts dive into the mind of the feline to reveal the true capabilities of the pouncing pet in this captivating and cuddly documentary.

Back from war in Afghanistan, a young British soldier struggling with depression and PTSD finds a second chance in the Amazon rainforest when he meets an American scientist, and together they foster an orphaned baby ocelot.

An intimate portrait of Matthew Shepard, the gay young man murdered in one of the most notorious hate crimes in U.S. history. Framed through a personal lens, it's the story of loss, love, and courage in the face of unspeakable tragedy.

The real story behind the oft-ridiculed 'cat lady' - a cultural stereotype and figure of ridicule for women of a certain age with too many furry companions. Through the intimate portrait of four unique 'cat ladies' we create a sensitive and emotionally honest portrait of women whose lives and self-worth have become intractably linked to cats. It's not the number of cats that defines someone as a 'cat lady', but rather their attachment, or non-attachment, to human beings. They create a world with their cats in which they are accepted and in control - a world where they ultimately have value.

Chicago's love/hate relationship with feral cats, and the communities who look after them.

An ample community of cats has set up home around the Shinto shrine in Ushimado. Some local residents take care of them, others are disturbed by their mess. Kazuhiro Soda observes their co-existence with kindness, precision and occasional involvement.

American Failure takes an in-depth look at the music scene in Boone, North Carolina, focusing on local bands Babe Haven, Galloway, Kiss it Make it Better, Educated Guess, Solastagia, and Cigarettes @ Sunset. Through a mix of full-band and individual interviews, live performances at local venues, and behind-the-scenes footage, we follow these bands as they navigate Boone’s DIY music culture before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

For one historic evening, American music legends Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, and Ricky Skaggs joined forces as The Three Pickers, to film a concert for public television. The music they made before a North Carolina audience is as relaxed as a front porch picking session. Informed by the skill and good humor of the three master musicians who contributed so much to the creation and evolution of bluegrass music. With special guest Alison Krauss.

Wildnis 2.0 - Die Tierwelt auf Umwegen

A man tells the story of his three cats.